Monday, November 28, 2016

On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump called
himself "the law and order candidate,' pledging to crack down on crime
from the Oval Office.

But now, a coalition of conservative heavyweights are urging
him – and Sen.
Jeff Sessions, his nominee for attorney general – to make criminal justice
reform "a top priority for your first 100 days in office," reported US News.

"We share your goal of enhancing public safety and
encourage you to consider that, just as with energy policy, it requires an
all-of-the-above strategy," a letter addressed to Trump from conservative
members of the U.S. Justice Action Network states. Just as dangerous criminals
must be incarcerated, for "addicts and those with mental illness,"
society's interests "can best be advanced through treatment-based
approaches."

Timothy Head, executive director of the Faith and Freedom Coalition
and a signatory to the letter, says his organization senses an opportunity to
advance criminal justice reform with the incoming administration – particularly
if Sessions, a conservative senator, is confirmed to lead Trump's Justice
Department.

About Matt

An analysis of crime and punishment from the perspective of a former prosecutor and current criminal justice practitioner.
The views expressed on this blog are solely those of the author and do not reflect the opinions or postions of any county, state or federal agency.